IRENE CASTELLANO is a brand designer, illustrator, and crybaby based out of Toronto, Ontario. ✨
She / her — Hi, hello, hola, that’s me and thecastlerose is the digital cardboard box that holds my design + illustration work. There’s also probably some dust bunnies in there, ignore them, they’re friendly.
I’ve been designing full-time for over 12 years and my bread n’ vegan butter is visual identity, marketing materials across print + digital, and anything involving illustration or typography. Several years ago, I went back to my roots (see: making websites for my neopets) and fell back in love with web design. I can adapt to different visual styles with ease, but my work is typically whimsical, bold, and precise — some people might call me nit-picky, but I prefer detail-orientated.
Currently, making stuff with Jacknife and considering picking up a paintbrush. Previously, freelance design goblin, regularly collabing with my pals at Liminal States and The Freelance Squad (guess who drew all those lil dudes), brand design @ Rakuten Kobo, and design lead @ The University of Guelph’s Central Student Association.
I prioritize working with like-minded folks who give a heck about the world around us and are trying to make it a little brighter in their own way. My personal projects often focus on self-care, mental health, and supporting your communities.
When not playing with pixels + paint, I like every cat I’ve ever met, pretending I like the taste of coffee, staying up too late but still waking up for yoga, weird books with pretty covers, over-thinking my Letterboxd top four, and collecting scraps of paper that I may or may not find a use for one day.